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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/25386853">Luxu takes another L</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/vanitasunverse/pseuds/vanitasunverse'>vanitasunverse</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Final Fantasy XV, Kingdom Hearts (Video Games)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Canon-Typical Violence, FFXV Spoilers, Gen, KH3 spoilers, Luxu and the Terrible Horrible No Good Very Bad Day, Luxu to Megalodon TF, One Shot, Xigbardyn if you squint, takes place shortly after M.E. 722</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-07-19</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-07-19</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-05 11:55:13</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Graphic Depictions Of Violence</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>6,595</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/25386853</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/vanitasunverse/pseuds/vanitasunverse</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Luxu is in Eos, looking for a place to hide the black box. The Imperial Chancellor runs him over with his car, giving him a reason to seek out a new vessel.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>9</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Luxu takes another L</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Ardyn driving Across Eos </p>
<p>Hes The Chancelleos. </p>
<p>He drives his magenta Sexy Car Into Xigbar </p>
<p>- </p>
<p>thanks bee for putting up with my nonsense through all of this, luv u &lt;3</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>It’s been a rough few years. A rough few millennia, through all of which Luxu has only spend a few years in this world. For all it’s wildlife, vast plains and endless amount of unexplored caves Eos never interested him that much.</p>
<p>But right now, an endless amount of unexplored caves is exactly what he needs. Behind him he pulls the beloved box that the Master of Masters had bestowed ages ago upon him, the damned thing a nuisance as it drags over the asphalt. Luxu was pretty sure the bottom of it was damaged beyond repair already. But as it is right now, he can’t really bring himself to care about it. All that matters is that the contents are kept safe from harm, and the box has been doing a perfectly fine job at that.</p>
<p>Until recently, when it got suddenly stolen in Radiant Garden, and after that, when it vanished from his view in Agrabah. It got too much for him to keep up with after it turned back up in Traverse town. No Name could call out to him if he wanted her to, but the box had no signal. Nor did it have any wielder he could chase after, in case he truly lost sight of it.</p>
<p>After multiple world trips, Luxu decided he’s had enough of it. It is’t that he isn’t paying any attention to it, really, it is just becoming a hassle to keep it near him at all times. The box needs to be hidden.</p>
<p>Looking at the road ahead of him, he sighs. He’s had better trips. The sign on the side says a name that he doesn’t remember from the last time he was here.</p>
<p>
  <em>Duscae.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>Coernix Station - Alstor</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>Alstor Slough</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>Pullmoor Haven </em>
</p>
<p>On his right side, there’s plains with weird hairy creatures grazing on them. On his left, there’s more. The numbers on the sign make him assume he’s still got a lot of walking to do. Keybladeless, he can’t glide over to the cave further down south, and it’s not like he has any access to the dark corridors in this vessel.</p>
<p>The body he currently occupied had no talent for magic. It’d take a lot to summon one right now.</p>
<p>Otherwise it was fine, a bit on the brittle and old side. It was a hunter with long hair, which Luxu always enjoyed putting in a tail.</p>
<p>He picked him up on the way, ditching the Eosian fashion almost instantly, switched the jacket and belts for his black coat. The roughed up leather doesn’t stand out too much if he keeps the coat open. Not having to worry about blending in is a relief.</p>
<p>A vehicle rushes by, nearly hitting him. He stares after it, noticing the evening sun starting to set beyond the hills. Luxu might not remember all of what he did here last time, but he does remember that Eos is known to have terrors around at nighttime.</p>
<p>With the Havens far away and the black box slowing him down, he’d never reach them in time. He’d have to fend for himself tonight, and keep the piece of shit in his sights while doing it. Luxu couldn’t hate himself more right now.</p>
<p>A loud alarming noise startles him, and he looks behind him only to see two lights homing in on him fast, a loud screech and then he’s flung at least a few feet through the air.</p>
<p>He lands next to the side of the road, groaning and clutching his right leg. Grass tickles his face as pain shoots up through his bones. That’s definitely broken. Coming here was a mistake.</p>
<p>From above him he hears a footsteps, and a concerned voice.</p>
<p>“Thank the gods you’re alive!”</p>
<p>
  <em>Well, at least it’s not a heartless.</em>
</p>
<p>Luxu rolls onto his back, looking up at the face of a middle aged man wearing more layers of clothing than Luxu has had vessels. Swirls of hair fall over his face in a shade that makes him doubt on whether it’s purple or red. The long trench coat that brushes over the ground does not make him look any smaller and Luxu wonders if the man matches Aced’s height. A hand is stretched out towards him, and Luxu can make out warm eyes, golden irises like his own.</p>
<p>“Please allow me to help you upwards.”</p>
<p>Dazed, he reaches for it, and is easily lifted on his feet by the tall stranger. Only to almost collapse back once he’s released. The other man catches him barely.</p>
<p>“Figures.” He grunts out, trying to find a stable position.</p>
<p>“Guess I’m never lucky enough to catch a break. I think my right leg’s broken.”</p>
<p>Playing the part of a wounded traveller is not something that Luxu enjoys, but knows well enough to pull off. Besides, if the stranger takes the bait, he’ll have a new vessel soon enough.</p>
<p>“It seems this is my doing. Might I be so kind as to offer you a ride to the next Haven, perhaps? You seem like you’ve come an awful long way. Awfully long enough for you to take a break in the middle of the road, and at nightfall no less.”</p>
<p>The voice of the stranger is sing songy and dry, the last vowels stretching on a little too long for Luxu’s liking, but it’ll do. Anything is better than being stuck in a body with injuries all over.</p>
<p>He nods, gesturing to the box, still on the side of the road. “Fine by me, but that comes along.”</p>
<p>The stranger hums. “As you wish.”</p>
<p>Supporting him from falling, he helps Luxu into his vehicle, which he can’t help from noticing, is the same awful shade as his hair.</p>
<p>Luxu keeps a close eye on how the man handles the box, but he lifts it into the back of the transport without a second glance.</p>
<p>“You don’t seem to be from around here, might I ask you where you are from? I myself hail from the colder parts of Niflheim, near the capital.”</p>
<p>The man closes the door to the vehicle, seating himself behind the steering wheel, folding his legs clumsily. Luxu’s eyes fixate on the frontal window instead.</p>
<p>For as much as Luxu has experienced, transports like these were never a part of it. No Name and corridors took care of that part.</p>
<p>He eyes the road with suspicion as they start moving, the vehicle starting with a shock. As for the answering question, Luxu ponders a moment, not remembering much about Eos at all. It’d be suspicious to say he was from Niflheim as well, so perhaps he’d best mention the thing he could remember closest to it.</p>
<p>“I’m from Solheim, but I’ve been wandering around for a while.”</p>
<p>The man next to him lets out a chuckle. “Oh, are we now? And what might your name be?”</p>
<p>“Luxus Supersum.” He pronounces his first name different from his own name, glad that he remembers how well it fit in last time.</p>
<p>“You may call me Ardyn, for the time being. My full name is quite a mouthful, you see. As for any damage that I’ve caused you, I’m willing to pay for it. My day to day job offers me a decent amount of Gil, worry not. I can cover your elixirs.”</p>
<p>Luxu ignores what Ardyn says after his name, mostly.</p>
<p>
  <em>Nothing personal to you, but I can’t see me calling myself that for long.</em>
</p>
<p>And it’s not like he’ll stay in this body for long, not with a man like this next to him. He glances at Ardyn’s form again,</p>
<p>“Now where was it, that you were headed to? Meldacio, perhaps? If so, I insist on taking you there instead. I was heading towards the Vesperpool for my work.”</p>
<p>“Yup, you guessed it.”</p>
<p>It’s best to just play along now, roll with whatever scraps of information Ardyn feeds him. The pain that still crawls through his body is not helping him remember much about the place at all, and messing up his facade would get him into even more of a mess than he already was. He leans back some more into his seat, the soft leather being pretty comfortable for his sore spots.</p>
<p>“And your suitcase?”</p>
<p>
  <em>Oh, right, the fucking box.</em>
</p>
<p>Ardyn gently inquires, but the question instantly irritates Luxu.</p>
<p>“Well, it’s plain and simple, my equipment. Nothing but guns, swords and killing machines in there.”</p>
<p>Ardyn is obviously amused by his answer, continuing talking without looking at him, eyes fixated on the road.</p>
<p>“Oh dear. You’re not planning any retribution, are you? It’d be most inconvenient.”</p>
<p>“Well, wouldn’t you like to know...”</p>
<p>The silence after that lasts a little too long for anyone to be comfortable with it, until Ardyn pushes a button in the wheel. Piano music, far more calm than was fitting, sounds through the air.</p>
<p>“This is of my personal favorites. I got the CD from one of my colleagues, a classic from Tenebrae. Certainly fits the mold for the place, don’t you think?”</p>
<p>Ardyn does not really wait for an answer, clearly enjoying the sound of his own voice more.</p>
<p>“It’s from my collection of J.S. Bach, quite an underground artist here in Lucis. I doubt you’ve ever heard of him before. I believe that if we drove all the way over Meldacio, we’d be able to enjoy all of his labours.”</p>
<p>Luxu finds that the headrest is not high enough for him to comfortably sleep against. Ardyn continues talking.</p>
<p>“Alas, since the road is blocked off near Lestallum, I can’t bring you all the way there, lest you’d accept a lengthy detour. The Empire, you see, has been relentless in their efforts to spread their hosts around here. It wouldn’t be a problem for me, my automobile has more than enough fuel to survive the trip.”</p>
<p>Luxu briefly waves his hand to dismiss any concerns Ardyn could have.</p>
<p>“Hey, it’s fine. As long as you fix my leg, right? I’ve got plenty of time.”</p>
<p>“All right then. I did dabble in some herbary skills in the past, so let me see to your wounds at the station over at Cauthess.”</p>
<p>The vehicle makes a sharp turn to the left, fast enough to almost sling Luxu into the door on his right side. From the back, he can hear the box being tossed around gracelessly. He quietly decides to dispose of Ardyn’s vehicle as soon as he can. Once he rights himself, he notices that the sun has gone down.</p>
<p>It’s cloudy outside, so the moonlight isn’t as strong. The hairy creatures Luxu saw grazing on the fields before are nowhere to be spotted, instead looming silhouettes walk along the horizon. Ardyn’s music falters for a moment, the lit up display becoming invisible for a moment. After that, the piano loops again like nothing happened.</p>
<p>“She’s made of old technology, from before the age of Magitek. As much as helpful the modern age has been, I prefer authenticity over functionality.” Ardyn dryly explains. Luxu thinks he could have derived that from his outfit alone. He folds his hands into his lap, trying not too much to think about how easy it was to travel with No Name.</p>
<p>Ardyn takes another turn, thankfully not as speedy as the last one, but still fast enough to make him look around, to see if the box is still in the right place.</p>
<p>“We’re almost there.”</p>
<p>Luxu peers outside, but the only thing visible outside are the havens, their light blue runes looking bright even from a long distance. They pass by two of them, stopping at a station in front a large rock formation. On the opposite of the road, tall stone arcs stand proudly from the ground, reaching for several hundred feet each.</p>
<p>There’s two food stands, a single building, and an open place to park in. A handful of people gathering outside, trading weapons and trophies. A single weapons merchant has cutlasses and mythril lances for sale from his own vehicle.</p>
<p>“The Coernix station at Cauthess, our stop for today. Don’t worry about the caravan, I shall take care of everything.”</p>
<p>Ardyn says as he takes off his hat, leaving it hanging on the steering wheel, working to get his ridiculously tall frame through the small door opening. It leaves Luxu with a better glance at his sharp features as he offers to help him out of his chair as well.</p>
<p>He groans as he is pulled upwards and forced to stand on his legs, which had fallen asleep during the trip. After he’s on solid ground, Ardyn gestures to the box, still inside the vehicle. It’s parked diagonally across the white lines on the floor, taking up a noticeable amount of space.</p>
<p>“About your equipment... I’ll carry it for you to the caravan, so please make yourself comfortable.”</p>
<p>
  <em>Easier said than done.</em>
</p>
<p>After hopping over to the camper on one leg, he plumps himself down in one of the little plastic chairs outside. He eyes Ardyn warily throughout the whole ordeal, snorting to himself when he catches sight of the man dropping the box on his overly long coat.</p>
<p>Ardyn does arrive after some time however, with the box in tow. He grimaces, remembering how heavy the thing actually is.</p>
<p>“I see you’ve kept it in one piece.”</p>
<p>Ardyn dusts down his clothes.</p>
<p>“As promised. Nothing less for my esteemed guest.”</p>
<p>He gestures to the stack of magazines on the table nearby.</p>
<p>“Why don’t you keep yourself busy? I’ll be but a moment. I do need to secure some elixirs before I can tend to that leg of yours. After all, it’s not like I can perform miracles.”</p>
<p>Ardyn saunters off, towards the shop that’s nearby. Luxu grabs the issue of <em>Weapons Monthly</em>, and starts plotting on how to take him over once he sleeps.</p>
<p> </p><hr/>
<p> </p>
<p>After he finished reading it, everything in life seemed to be made to bother Luxu.</p>
<p>They’ve relocated themselves inside the camper, the sky having opened up outside, the downpour soaking Luxu through and through before Ardyn returned and helped him inside. It didn’t get any better after that either.</p>
<p>“Ah, I’m afraid I can’t help you with that. I’ve never really been one to cook. Or would you rather end up with food poisoning?”</p>
<p>“You’re kidding, right?”</p>
<p>But Ardyn smiles sheepishly, standing over the stove and scratching his head before turning back to Luxu, who’s sitting on one of the bunk beds.</p>
<p>
  <em>May the heartless take my everything. He doesn’t know how to cook.</em>
</p>
<p>“How about we get this over with first?” Ardyn points at his leg, producing several bottles seemingly out of nowhere. Along with them, he lays out a bunch of thick leaves. Luxu thinks the shape is familiar. Must have been growing outside the station, he guesses.</p>
<p>“Fine.”</p>
<p>It’s getting hard to not try and possess Ardyn on the spot, but it would simply too much of a commotion were he to attempt it now. He wouldn’t be able to physically take him down, and magic would call the attention of nearby people in an instant.</p>
<p>So instead of launching himself into Ardyn, he strips himself of his coat, shoes and everything else, waiting for it to be over already. Under his shirt he encounters a small metallic plate, hanging from his neck. Ardyn notices it too. He sits next to Luxu’s outstretched legs, almost hitting his head against the bed frame on top.</p>
<p>“A dog tag. The mark of a true hunter, nay?”</p>
<p>“As if. I just wanna make sure I do my job right. Never cared much for the symbolics of it.”</p>
<p>He tosses away the ugly shirt his vessel wore, glad to be rid of it. Ardyn is patient, his yellow eyes fixated on the enormous gashes on his thighs. When his fingers skirt over them, inspecting the severity of his injuries, Luxu takes a sharp breath, hissing through his teeth. He snaps when they wander a little higher, on to his sides.</p>
<p>“Watch it!”</p>
<p>“Come now, you’re a hunter. A little pain never hurt anyone.”</p>
<p>Taking off his gloves, Ardyn uncaps the elixirs, one by one, pours the insides on his skin and starts rubbing the stuff in. After that he breaks the leaves and lets the resin drip out. The bitter smell of it is nearly palpable, making the caravan feel a lot smaller than it was. Ardyn seems however, to be largely unbothered by it. He grabs his leg roughly and squeezes the last remains from the leaf directly on top of his damaged kneecap.</p>
<p>It’s an awkward and intimate experience, Luxu briefly wonders if Ardyn had perhaps given him a lift for <em>other reasons</em>, but he is distracted when his knee makes a popping sound.</p>
<p>“We’re done.”</p>
<p>Surprised that he’s done that fast, Luxu looks down, and flexes his left leg. His skin seems to be doing better than it did before he got run over, not a single scratch on his body. It’s as if he were born anew, aside from the dirt that’s practically glued onto him. The rain outside must have stopped, as the ticking sounds of drops falling on the roof slows down.</p>
<p>“Huh. Thought you said you didn’t perform miracles.”</p>
<p>“Oh, did I? Perhaps I merely meant the act of performing magic. It’s not like I could cure the Star Scourge, you know.”</p>
<p>Ardyn leans back, putting back on his gloves. Luxu starts looking for his clothes too, feeling a little exposed.</p>
<p>
  <em>Two millennia, and they still haven’t resolved the plague from the last time I visited this world.</em>
</p>
<p>As Luxu’s busy pulling back on the shirt something rings from Ardyn’s side, who visibly annoyed, reaches deep inside of his coat and pulls out a flip phone. His eyes narrow as he inspects the display name for a long time, then he sighs.</p>
<p>“Ah, you must excuse me, I simply have to answer this one. It’s for my work.”</p>
<p>As fast as he healed Luxu’s leg, he leaves the caravan, closing the door behind him without a sound.</p>
<p>Through the walls, Luxu can hear the familiar drawl of his voice start, but not make out any of the words he’s saying. It’s the perfect time to get himself dressed again. And perhaps look if there’s anything salvageable in this caravan too. He’s starving. Taking over Ardyn could wait a little longer.</p>
<p>He rummages through the closets, finding little but a can of uncooked <em>Saxham Rice</em>. It does the job it’s supposed to do though, and he leaves some for when Ardyn comes back. Or when he comes back as Ardyn instead.</p>
<p>He’d tell him he heard something strange, that his hunter’s instinct did not trust it, or something. Ardyn didn’t seem the type to make a fuss about much, it’d be easy to lure him to a more isolated place. And then he’d strike, it wouldn’t take more time than a blink. The hunter’s body would die, dissipate and vanish without a trace. The tragedy would be blamed on the local population of beasts and Ardyn would cease to exist, as if he had never been around in the first place.</p>
<p>Luxu guesses he must have gone for a short walk while he was cooking, because he no longer can hear his obnoxious voice chattering. He looks through the window, trying to find out out if Ardyn went to talk to others outside, but the parking area is abandoned.</p>
<p>Glancing back to the box, one last time, he decides it’s safe enough for him to venture outside.</p>
<p>Luxu sticks his head through the door opening first, looking from left to right, maybe he’s just missed him, but when there’s not a sign of any Ardyn nearby he ventures outside.</p>
<p>It’s chilly, the sudden cold wind making him wish his coat protected him as well from the temperature as the darkness. Remnants from the rainstorm are visible in the form of puddles, shiny surfaces. From the parking lot, the vehicles reflect the floodlights, the brightness so harsh it hurts his eyes.</p>
<p>
  <em>Guess it keeps more than wildlife at bay.</em>
</p>
<p>The lights in the store are still on, but as he passes by, no one seems to be inside. The door is still open, and Luxu is tempted to get himself a snack, but right now he’s in his element, he can’t afford to let himself get too distracted. The mark of a true hunter is not the flimsy tag hanging from his neck, but the certainty that he will reach his goal if he follows his heart. Nearby, from behind the stone arcs he can hear hissing, but it doesn’t sound loud enough to be much of a threat.</p>
<p>He passes by the weapon stand, taking a cutlass from the rack. If the owner wasn’t around to see him take it, then he didn’t take it. Ardyn did seem to be physically strong, and should the element of surprise disappoint Luxu today, it’d be best if he took some precautions.</p>
<p>Inspecting the rest of the lot he concluded that Ardyn must have gone for a walk, despite the danger. It’d make things so much more easy for him. He leaves for the path on the left side of the station, his heart telling him it’s where he needs to go.</p>
<p>Broken leaves and a dirty coin, almost buried beneath his own footprint tell him his guiding key is not failing him.</p>
<p>The tracks he follows turn, going uphill, between the crags that overshadow the area. Above them, the stars are shining brightly through the holes in the cloud cover.</p>
<p>Luxu wonders what he’ll find alongside Ardyn. The phone call he took earlier must have been serious for him to leave the area, despite the dangers. Or perhaps he’d gone out to fetch more herbs for his obscure hobby.</p>
<p>
  <em>It’d put me to sleep if I have to sit through another round of that.</em>
</p>
<p>He reaches a wider open spot between the crags, the foliage growing more sparse here, but no Ardyn. A little further he could see that he walked all the way behind the station, and the hill leading back down to it was barren as well, save for some stray boulders.</p>
<p>If Ardyn had gone back to the camper, then he’d done so in a very tight time window. This could become annoying. He’d need an explanation for when he got back, to why he’d have gone outside. Then again, he could play to be worried about Ardyn, but it would still delay his plans of taking the man over to tomorrow.</p>
<p>And frankly enough, Luxu’s had enough of this body. It was to weak, to small for his tastes. Ardyn, as horrible as his personality was, could possibly last him several decades to come. Staring at his current vessel’s stature, he thinks about how he could also appreciate being a little taller.</p>
<p>An obscure figure abruptly appears into his vision, and before Luxu can stop himself he has walked into collection of scarves and layers called Ardyn.</p>
<p>“What a pleasant surprise. I just happened to be looking for you.”</p>
<p>Ardyn took a step back, moving his arms in a welcoming gesture, like he was about to hug someone.</p>
<p>
  <em>He was looking for me? By all means I should be more capable than him to be on my own outside.</em>
</p>
<p>“Judging by the look on your face, you must have been doing the same. I apologize, my work calls do tend to take some time out of my days.”</p>
<p>“Got me thinking you were out here being eaten by the wildlife.”</p>
<p>Luxu backs off a little, exasperated, the cutlass still in his hand.</p>
<p>“Oh, but I think you’re mistaken. The wildlife knows that the fare would be far more than what they bargained for.”</p>
<p>The purr in Ardyn’s voice and the smile on his face makes Luxu’s hair stand on end, the man being too lax about his situation.</p>
<p>“As for you, I’d say you have found yourself quite the hunter’s recompense.”</p>
<p>He leans in, clasping a hand on Luxu’s shoulder, and just like that, he’s gone. Luxu blinks, twists around, but it’s like Ardyn has vanished into thin air, bent patches of grass the only evidence he ever was there. His grip on the dagger tightens.</p>
<p>
  <em>What?</em>
</p>
<p>“Over here. Don’t be coy now. We really ought to return to the caravan, lest the Daemons start bothering us.”</p>
<p>His head whips to the side, Ardyn standing just a few feet away, a hand on his hip, before he twirls around, disappearing in the shade of one of the cliffs.</p>
<p>
  “Don’t stray too far.”
</p>
<p>Luxu chases after him. No doubt Ardyn had sensed something was amiss, and was now trying to get back to a civilized area as quick as possible. Maybe he should have disposed of the cutlass instead, to avoid suspicion. It doesn’t matter, Luxu is skilled, has taken over more people, has fought battles harder than dealing with an aggravating, middle-aged recluse that happened to be awful at driving.</p>
<p>But when he reaches the place, his target is gone again, by mysterious means. He takes a deep, annoyed breath through his nose, then smirks.</p>
<p>“Come on, Ardyn! This is a cruel joke you’re playing. You wouldn’t abandon me in the cold here now, would you?”</p>
<p>
  “And here I thought you’d rather hunt for me yourself. What a terrible disappointment.”
</p>
<p>Behind him, this time he’s fast enough to watch it happen, Ardyn dissolves in a flash of red light, his silhouette falling apart like dust.</p>
<p>
  <em>Warping, huh?</em>
</p>
<p>It’s a skill Luxu himself thoroughly learned over the course of several decades, but happened to be unavailable to him in this body, without a sensitivity to magic, without No Name. He grimaces. This was getting less enjoyable by the second.</p>
<p>He hears it then, like a paper is being folded too quickly and instead torn apart. The sound rushes at him. Twisting the dagger in his hand, he lunges to his right, steel catching into clothing, and then flesh.</p>
<p>“Ooh, that stings.”</p>
<p>Ardyn purrs, pulling back his arm, a gash visible through the tear in his sleeve. Luxu continues his first slash, aiming for Ardyn’s abdomen this time. The knife’s tip touches nothing but sizzling air, red particles floating around him, as if to mock his miss. He curses.</p>
<p>“Cocky bastard.”</p>
<p>He waits there, listens for another hint. Soon enough, Ardyn is back, right in front of him, a kick aimed at Luxu’s face. He ducks under it and instantly has to dodge another kick as soon as he’s back upright. He lets Ardyn come to him instead, blocking his surprisingly fast strikes with his upper arms.</p>
<p>“And so the hunter becomes the hunted!”</p>
<p>His opponent taunts, too calm for a man without a weapon. A particularly heavy hit sends Luxu flying backwards, into the bushes, and he doesn’t have time to gather his breath back before Ardyn is standing over him, ready to trample his head with one of his boots.</p>
<p>He rolls to his side barely on time, wincing as he hears the branches on which his head lay a second ago being crushed. He jumps back to his feet, roughly swiping at where he thinks Ardyn might be, and feels his blade sink into a thick layer of skin.</p>
<p>“Oops.”</p>
<p>Ardyn sounds mildly surprised, not even inconvenienced in the slightest, staring for a moment as he takes in the sight of himself being impaled. As Luxu reaches to pull the blade out, he steps back.</p>
<p>“Ah-ah, I think I’ve had enough playtime for one day. It’s time for you to die.”</p>
<p>He doesn’t have the chance to think what those words mean, Ardyn’s hand already materializing over him, grabbing him by his face and holding him like he weighs nothing.</p>
<p>Luxu grunts, kicks, but it’s as if the man is made out of stone, his grip unyielding and crushing as purple spots begin to dot into his view.</p>
<p>His days begin to play back for him, starting with him getting run over by Ardyn, but then continue further backwards. To him taking over his current vessel, and the one before, and the one before that. Countless faces, all the people he knew and met over the hundreds of decades he lived through. The young man from Shibuya whose life he took for granted, the boy in Daybreak town. The wielder with no skill from Atlantica, a master’s pupil he found wandering around.</p>
<p>All the while he can see everything Ardyn is doing to him, his skin becoming as grey as ash, purple and black veins running over his sickening face, the hue spreading towards Luxu via his arm. From Ardyn’s eyes, black ooze trickles down his face, the sclera having turned just as dark. His golden irises seem all the brighter for it.</p>
<p>Luxu is vaguely aware that he’s being talked to, but it doesn’t register as anything more than warped speech, the purple flashes obscuring his vision becoming worse. His own body begins to feel constricting, like he’s about to burst out of his skin.</p>
<p>When he tries to speak, the same fluid that covers Ardyn’s face is all that comes out of his mouth, choking him.</p>
<p>And then he is dropped to the floor, the shock making him lose the rest of the breath he had left. He wheezes dryly, then retches. The inky ooze sinks into the earth as soon as it leaves his body, but not before he vomits half of it over his own hands.</p>
<p>“What’s this? You seem like a lot of work.”</p>
<p>
  <em>Oh crap.</em>
</p>
<p>Ardyn was still there, his question stretching on comically long. His appearance had been returned to normal, if you could call it that.</p>
<p>Luxu is still trying to get up, his old body not taking this well. Ardyn grabs him by his shoulder, his grip almost painful, and hoists him to his feet. The dagger still protrudes from his chest, but it doesn’t seem to bother him. His eyes narrow in the slightest as he inspects Luxu’s face.</p>
<p>“You’re not one of the Messengers, are you?”</p>
<p>Ardyn grasps Luxu’s chin with one of his hands, tilting him so he can look into his eyes. His voice is low, he speaks slower, obviously surprised by something.</p>
<p>“It’s eluding me how I can’t turn you.”</p>
<p>He seems almost disappointed, pouting as he looks to the side.</p>
<p>“And not only that, nay, you hold far more memories inside you than I would want to temper with. Yet you’re not an Astral.”</p>
<p>He lets go off Luxu, who manages to stand upright, a bit shaky, but he still stands, and that’s all what matters. He gestures to the dagger, still buried in Ardyn’s chest.</p>
<p>“Isn’t... Isn’t it time for you to start explaining yourself?”</p>
<p>His voice sounds warped, hollow, his tongue longer than it was before, making him hiss a lot more than he’d like to. His hands are deformed too, longer and thinner than they were before, webbing between his fingers. The gray hue they took on while Ardyn had him in his vice-like grip hasn’t worn off either.</p>
<p>Was this what Ardyn meant by ‘turning’ him? It didn’t matter, he had been overpowered, his current vessel was rendered useless. He looks at the man, thinks how he is close enough for Luxu to try and jump over into it, but a hand is held in front of his face, Ardyn condescendingly wagging his finger.</p>
<p>“Ah-ah, I wouldn’t recommend it. You’d find yourself having little interest in this body.”</p>
<p>Luxu panics. How did he know about that? But Ardyn ignores him.</p>
<p>“You see, I’m immortal. Accursed by the Astrals, no less. My role is to spread Darkness.”</p>
<p>Luxu doesn’t know, or care for what an Astral is. But the rest, he knows that. Feels that. The mere mention of it sends him back to his earliest days, when he was still a youngling, receiving No Name days before he was sent off on his ever-lasting journey.</p>
<p>“I don’t think I need to remind you twice about how such an existence is, seeing as you’ve been burdened yourself.”</p>
<p>“You looked into my memories?”</p>
<p>“A process I must undergo in order to turn you. You’ll be delighted to hear that I could not complete it. You were...”</p>
<p>Ardyn pauses for a moment, scratching his head.</p>
<p>“Out of my reach.”</p>
<p>
  <em>Couldn’t get to my heart, huh.</em>
</p>
<p>Luxu concludes that must have been what prevented it from happening. Maybe living from body to body had its benefits after all.</p>
<p>“Had I managed to turn you completely, I would have seen all of your memories, and you, Luxu, wasn’t it? You would be a monster.”</p>
<p>Luxu is aware his body has changed, but his perception is still the same. He feels around for what else is different, coming to the conclusion he now has a tail, multiple rows of enlarged fangs and fins on his back. For a change, he’s glad to not have carried No Name. The Master would have laughed himself sick if he saw it. On his neck, his skin feels sensitive.</p>
<p>
  <em>Gills?</em>
</p>
<p>“As if I’m not half one already. Heh.”</p>
<p>Ardyn dares to chuckle at that, which should feel wrong to him, but all he feels is a somber understanding that’s between the two of them.</p>
<p>It’s silent for a moment, just the leaves around them rustling, eerie noises echoing further away. Overhead the clouds break apart further, moonlight revealing their surroundings more.</p>
<p>Ardyn pulls out the dagger that’s still stuck in his body with nothing more than a heavy breath, dropping it to the ground. Blood? No, that sickening ooze again, gushes from the opening it leaves, but only for a moment.</p>
<p>“Takes care of that, I guess.”</p>
<p>He grabs his weapon, wiping it clean on his shirt, watches the other man dramatically claw with a hand at his chest for a moment.</p>
<p>“Hey, you’re not gonna bleed out on me, are you?”</p>
<p>Ardyn grins at him, teeth visible. It’s hard to see what’s happening, smoke coming from the wound, but once it clears it’s like he never had a blade sticking from between his ribs. It looks nothing like a cure spell, and for some reason it makes Luxu wince.</p>
<p>“Suppose you got nothing like that to change me back?”</p>
<p>His voice still breaks into dry whispers when he speaks, as if to make his point clear. Ardyn looks him over, looking smug about his answer.</p>
<p>“I fear it’s a permanent affliction.”</p>
<p>He groans, the dagger in his hands looking tempting all of a sudden.</p>
<p>“Oh, don’t be so ungrateful now. You hunt more than beasts, you won’t have trouble finding yourself a new vessel.”</p>
<p>Luxu’s mouth feels a little dry, Ardyn is right. It shouldn’t be too much trouble, but it doesn’t make his loss tonight more bearable. And besides that, all he wants is some rest for tonight. Between him, the box, Ardyn and this catastrophe of a vessel there’s only been one constant, which is the exasperation it has caused him.</p>
<p>“Fine. I’m going back to the caravan.”</p>
<p>He slumps, dragging his feet over the rough patches of grass. To his annoyance, he can hear Ardyn follow him, his heavy strides mismatching his own faster paced ones.</p>
<p>“You seem vexed, Luxu. Permit me to make a suggestion.”</p>
<p>It’s not a request. Luxu knows that, walks faster towards the station, wincing as he passes the bright floodlights.</p>
<p>“I have little to no interest in becoming involved in whatever antics you are up to, but I feel like I mustn’t make myself an enemy of you either. Allow me to accompany you.”</p>
<p>Ardyn sounds serious for once, which halts Luxu from ripping the caravan door off its hinges.</p>
<p>“I can hide the box for you.”</p>
<p>“Ha, and you expect me to really agree to that? I don’t have anymore time for this nonsense.”</p>
<p>Luxu opens the door, ready to slam it in Ardyn’s face, the fact that he was the one who payed for the accommodation be damned, but his next words root him to the ground.</p>
<p>“Oh, I’m sure you don’t. As sure as I am that the Lucians won’t put a bounty on that Daemon head of yours as soon as you set a foot outside this parking lot.”</p>
<p>
  <em>Well, that might be a bit of an issue. Just a bit.</em>
</p>
<p>He shifts on his feet, breathes deep, thinks about what could happen. He never liked having to run, a life in hiding wasn’t suited for him, it reminded him of when he abandoned his fellow apprentices. Ardyn has a grin plastered on his face that makes him want to bash his skull in.</p>
<p>And maybe it’s because he doesn’t know his way around Eos all that well, maybe it’s because Ardyn did have a point with this, or maybe it’s just because it’s nice to finally have someone around who’s as old as he is. Maybe Luxu is tired of walking. But he allows Ardyn to drive him around the next day, the two of them leaving the place before the crack of dawn. He prays Ardyn doesn’t steer as badly this time.</p>
<p>The man has given him his hat to borrow, as a coverage of sorts. Luxu doesn’t have any idea what that’s supposed to mean, and then the sun comes up, stinging like a thousand needles into him.</p>
<p>“This your doing as well?”</p>
<p>He snarls, picking with his nails at his skin, which has begun to smoke slightly. Ardyn sounds as apologetic as ever, but the mirth in his eyes tells Luxu otherwise.</p>
<p>“Another ‘gift’ my hands have bestowed upon you by turning you. But don’t you worry about it, there’ll be nary a trace of the scourge left once you find a new body. Simply wait and enjoy the time you have left in this one.”</p>
<p>
  <em>Enjoy? As if.</em>
</p>
<p>The same piano music plays, the radio still hampering as much as earlier. Ahead of them a giant volcano looms, making Luxu concerned about where Ardyn was planning to head.</p>
<p>“Say, you do have a safe spot in mind, right?”</p>
<p>“But of course. I know a place, it only opens at night, you see. The ancient civilization of Solheim might be long gone, as you surely would know, but their fondness for causing enigmas to happen hasn’t left. In the two millennia that I have lived and spread the Scourge, this area has been all but left untouched.”</p>
<p>Luxu tunes out, having heard enough. There’s not enough food in his body to listen to any of this. He leans with his head on the window, glancing at the cliffs ahead, Ardyn’s voice reduced to a white noise in the background.</p>
<p>The sunlight has gotten harsher now, and it really hurts him. It has risen over the mountain by now, signaling daytime. They pass few other vehicles on the way, the roads emptier the further they travel.</p>
<p>He looks over at Ardyn, still rattling on about puzzles and lost empires, wondering how he’s managed it. They must be roughly the same age, if he recounted his lives right.</p>
<p>They stop off roads, in the blackened sands of the Ravatogh, far away from the prying eyes of the Crow Nests’ outposts. Ardyn is remarkably in-adept at parking, turns out.</p>
<p>When they’ll finish dropping off the box, Luxu thinks he might stick a little longer. Even if only to ask Ardyn why two millennia of experience did not make him a good driver.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>So like, maybe you picked up on it but Solheim is far too old to be present in the modern age, which is how Ardyn picks up on Luxu not actually being from Eos. Supersum means to survive, outlive. I didn’t put much thought in it. Luxus should be pronounced luck-suhs in Eos I think, it would be more fun that way. </p>
<p>This fic continues on some of the stuff I wrote in <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/20851655">Luxu takes the L</a>, if you're curious to see some of his earlier vessels.</p></blockquote></div></div>
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